Lieutenant Lopez
by AssasinQueen
Summary: Starship: Short stories revolving around Lt. Taz. Concerning both her past and future. Will contain: TUp, Tunior & occasionally TazxOC.  Rated M to be safe
1. Shorts Collection 1

**Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions. Any original characters mentioned however are mine.**

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><p><strong>Exclusion<strong>

She sat at the table, cleaning her knives and pretending not to sulk. Everyone else was having a great time; though her back was facing them she could still here their excited chatter and laughter. Up entered the room and taking one look at the scene sat down next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.  
>"It's not so bad Taz" he said "Maybe we can find you something to do later, something more appropriate to your ... skills" he flinched as Taz scowled back at him<br>"And what de hell do jou mean by dat?" she snapped. Krayonder, who'd been eaves dropping, felt he just had to have his say.  
>"Because you can't cook for shit."<br>They left it to Specs to escort a shaken Krayonder to the infirmary, scolding him on the way there.  
>"You are lucky her knife just cut your cheek. You do realise she could have taken your whole ear off." while Up took their place preparing the Thanksgiving Turkey. Leaving Taz in a full out sulk, muttering angrily in Spanish about how she's just gotten the stains out.<p>

**Sick**

Taz scowled at the worried looking shop assistants while the dumb ass February chattered nonstop about matching the colour to her skin tone; or some shit like that. The rangers of star ship #15A-2 had been invited to attend a gala ball for successfully negotiating human settlement on Bug World. There was a strict dress code and attendance was mandatory, this meant Taz was going to have to wear a dress. There had been a lot of shouting, swearing and threats but eventually Up had gotten Taz to concede to going dress shopping with February. So now Taz sat slouched in a chair as February talked colours and styles with the fitter. Taz wasn't really listening and almost punched February in the face when she suddenly pulled Taz out of her chair and over to the mirror squealing about something.  
>"O.M.G. Lieutenant, this will look <em>SO<em> good on you!" February said excitedly, holding the dress up to Taz so she could see what she'd look like. Taz rolled her eyes and looked at her reflection. It was a plain white dress. It was the same ... no ... this one was strapless, but still.

Taz felt her stomach heave. Pushing the science officer out her way she ran out of the store and into the nearest bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet before she blew chunks. Now she wiped her mouth and rested her forehead on the rim as she tried to stop herself from shaking.

She fucking hated dresses.

**Yearbook**

"What do you think Taz'll be voted?"  
>Hearing this Taz looked up from her history paper and at Loris, who much to her annoyance was just lazing on the couch and staring at the ceiling. He'd invited himself and their mutual friend Axton over to work on their end-of-year assignments. So far Taz and Axton had been the only ones working, Loris had spent the previous hour and a half watching TV, making jokes and snacking.<br>"What are you on about now Trant?" said Axton who hadn't bothered to look up from the chemistry text.  
>"Well next year we'll be graduating right? And they have captions in the yearbook?" said Loris. Taz raised her eyebrows, they did?<br>"Well I was just wondering what Taz'd be voted, I think ... Most likely to kick ass." Loris grinned at Taz, but he quickly dropped it.  
>"Or most terrifying." he added with a shudder, seeing the look on Taz's face.<br>"That's bullshit Trant." said Axton making a note in his book. Taz opened her mouth to agree with him.  
>"She'd be voted Toughest Bitch," he paused for a moment "or biggest".<p>

Later Taz relayed the story to Up; while eating their usual Chinese take-out in the lounge room.  
>"Now them boys are just being stupid" said Up pointing his chopsticks at her.<br>"_Gracias_!"  
>"You'd obviously be voted "Most likely to be strung up by Robots."<br>Up hid his grin with his arms as he held them up above his head, letting Taz beat him with a couch pillow and shout at him in Spanish.

**Animal**

Being in a relationship with Taz was like owning a cat, Up decided one day. She goes about her own business; don't pay much attention to him unless either he gets her attention or she wants something. She'd lounge all over him, took up the whole bed and any food that was his, within minutes of Taz showing up, would somehow become hers. But he also decided, as he stroked her hair while she was asleep curled up beside him with her head in his lap, that he wouldn't have it any other way.

xxxxx

Taz did not like dogs, and recently she had decided that Up was like a dog. He followed her everywhere; he kept knocking things out of her hands in half thought-out attempts to please her, he always wanted to do stuff together. He gave her sloppy kisses on the cheek and was always touching her. However, Taz thought as he snuck up behind her hugging her and resting his chin in her hair, perhaps dogs weren't all that bad.


	2. Quinceanera

**Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions. Any original characters mentioned however are mine.**

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><p>It had taken a lot of black eyes and bruised egos for the other children to realise that calling her Maria was a stupid idea. So instead they'd given her the nickname Taz. Matron always had her hands full with little Taz, who was much rougher than the other girls she had been charged with. Taz had always preferred to wrestle with the boys than play dolls. She remembered the first time they'd ever tried to get her to wear a skirt. She'd kicked, bit and cussed until they gave up. But today she sat, chin on her knees, at the edge of the bed and stared at the dress she'd been given to wear for her Quinceanera; and for the first time in her life she wanted to wear it. It was a hand me down of course, it was too dangerous to leave just for new clothes. The previous girls to wear it had been gentle with it so it was still clean and in good shape, she was certain it would need a bit of repair after today. It was a simple design; a plain white strap-dress with an ankle length skirt, Taz had carefully run her fingers over the silky material several times over the past few weeks and today she was finally going to wear it. Today she was going to be a woman.<p>

But to her the dress represented more than that. The girls who'd worn it before her had not known what to expect after they'd turned fifteen. Once you turned fifteen you had to start earning your keep and that meant leaving the safety of the home. She at least had some idea of what was waiting out there. Taz had earned the dual titles of crazy-bitch and insolent-idiot, from her friends and the Matron respectively, after she'd snuck out and gone around town. This meant she knew at least some of the dangers waiting out there and that if you weren't smart about it you would die.  
>A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts, making her jump.<br>"Es me Taz, are jou decent?" Came Matron's voice through the door.  
>"<em>Si<em>, I am." Taz called back and Matron opened the door.

The Matron was an older woman; she stood at six feet tall to Taz's whole four foot nine of height, a fellow Latina she was heavily wrinkled at only forty years of age, with a head of dark brown hair that was going grey. She'd raised Taz from a young age, along with nine other children, with a firm hand and a sharp tongue. Usually when she and Taz were alone together Matron had a scowl on her face, but today she was smiling. They didn't need words. Taz stripped and got her stockings on while Matron placed the plain box she'd been carrying on the bedside table, unzipped the back of the dress and took it off the hanger. Matron then helped Taz get it over her head and zipped up the back. They had an unspoken agreement that they would not fight today, so Taz sat still while Matron brushed her thick, wiry, shoulder length black hair out of its usual tangles and allowed Matron to apply the slightest hint of lip-gloss to her lips. Matron then helped Taz into the black flats and guided her over to the mirror. She was startled. The girl looking back didn't look like her; the girl in the mirror was ... beautiful. Matron coughed, Taz turned and saw she was holding the box again.  
>"Taz." she began "Today you stop being <em>mi escuincle pequeño<em> and become a young woman. I'm sure you of all people know what dis means." Taz nodded.  
>"<em>Bueno<em>. I know dere is no time for gifts, but I want you to have dese." Matron handed Taz the box.  
>When Taz saw what was inside she gasped<br>"Dios muerto vivo."

In the box lying side by side, was a Zapper and a knife. Both had obviously been through some wear and tear but were still usable.  
>"See Taz," Matron said "On de day of dere fifteenth birthday I give all my <em>niños<em> a Zapper and a knife to defend demselves with when dey enter de outside world." Taz picked up the knife and gaped at it.  
>"But," Matron continued "Dese have not been used since my own padre gave me new ones for my twentieth." Taz stared at Matron<br>"Dese were jours?"  
>"<em>Si<em>. And dey are very special to me. So jou better take good care of dem _comprende_?"  
>"<em>Si<em>, Matron, I'll be good to dem."  
>Then Taz did something neither of them could remember her ever doing before, she hugged her Matron.<br>"_Gracias, por todo_."  
>"<em>Comprendo<em>."  
>Their moment was interrupted by a loud crash from downstairs.<br>"Dose boys! I swear Taz jou are going to be in charge of keeping dem in line after today or I'm going to kill dem." Taz laughed as Matron stormed out of the room. She sat there for a while and just looked at her gifts. It was almost as if the rest of the world had floated away. There were no other sounds or smells than that of the knife and the Zapper. _Her_ knife and _her_ Zapper. She picked up the knife and twirled it through the air a couple of times; then she put it in the draw by her bedside to keep safe until it was needed. Then she picked up the Zapper. Her very own Zapper. She'd wanted one ever since she was six, sure she really wanted the long range high powered model but this short range hand-zapper would be fine until she could find her own. She stood and aimed it at her reflection in the mirror. It felt different to the BB gun she'd carted around until it was broken beyond repair, it made her feel powerful.  
>In the mirror the sudden movement of the door opening caught her attention. She whirled around and her eyes went wide. Instinctively she pulled the trigger; the figure in the doorway fell forwards, completely stiff.<p>

"_Mierda__**.**_" she muttered and ran over to kneel by the figure. It was what she'd feared. Everyone in the house knew to knock before you entered her room which meant whoever opened the door was either very stupid or a...  
>"Robot." Taz hissed. Holding the Zapper up to her chest she crouched with her back pressed against the wall and peered around the doorframe. There was a trail of blood on the ground. Checking the other way for more robots she made her way down the hall to the room with her Zapper at the ready. She peered into the next room. The trail of blood continued inside and behind the couches clustered in the centre. Taz cautiously entered the room. She could see someone's arm lying very still around the corner of the couch when she heard the door slam. She whirled around and aimed another shot at the next robot. But this time she didn't get lucky. She missed and the robot was on her in seconds. It knocked the Zapper out of her hands but Taz did manage to duck so instead of grabbing her by the neck it managed to get a handful of hair. She yelled as it jerked her off her feet and threw her across the room where she hit the wall with a loud thump. She felt the air rush out of her and she hit the floor with a gasp. The robot approached for a second attempt. She looked around frantically for something to use. The robot was pulling her up by the hair again when she snatched up a pair of scissors someone had left lying around. Realising they'd be useless against metal Taz instead ripped the blade through her hair. Lessening the amount of the robot held. But not enough as she gave a yelp of pain as a good chunk of hair was pulled out when she dashed between the robots legs. She was lucky when her wild grab for the Zapper succeeded. Now that it was an option she wrenched the door open and ran for the exit.<p>

She could hear the robot's footsteps behind her. She swore when it was joined by another set. Taz thanked the long dead god that Robots were not designed for speed. Finally she saw the stairwell for the door to the outside. She ran up and out through the destroyed doorway. Then she just kept running. She ran and ran with no direction or idea of where she was going. All the while she was certain she could hear the robots behind her. She could here yelling and Zapper fire in the distance. She had no idea what was causing it but it gave her a direction to run. It was getting louder and louder. Taz could see the Zapper blasts when she made the mistake of looking over her shoulder. Now she knew for sure that the robots were still following her but she also tripped over a piece of debris from a nearby building and rolled. She pulled herself to her knees and looked up. Towering above her was a fighter droid, faster, better armed and smarter than the robots that had been chasing her. She fell back and flung her arms over her head as it lunged for her. A grenade blast went off to the left of her, knocking the robot over.  
>"Damn kid!" someone shouted and Taz, still reeling from the explosion, felt herself being pulled to her feet.<br>"Get the hell out of here!" She was pushed aside, and she gasped when she saw what was happening.

It was the Starship Rangers locked in an epic battle. Sentinels and Androids were being taken on by trained troops either one-to-one or in groups. Taz was awestruck and stood there dumbly for a moment not feeling the coil of metal warp itself around her neck. She was suddenly jerked into the air. Her legs swung and her hands clawed at the choking metal until her fingers bled. She could see the robots approaching her. Eyes blacker than night. There was a sound of a Zapper shot and suddenly she was falling. Strong arms caught her and swung her around behind her saviour. She watched wide eyed as the man casually pulled out a grenade and gently tossed it towards the robots. She gave a yell at the resulting explosion and ducked behind the Ranger, who just took a long drag of his cigarette before tossing it aside. Taz stared at the wreckage for a moment. There was only one thing she could think to say.  
>"<em>Madre de dios<em>!"  
>The Ranger spoke and Taz looked up in awe at the back of his head.<br>"You know how to use that Zapper you got here?" he said tossing her the dropped Zapper.  
>"Ah! <em>Si<em>!"  
>"Then you better start using it."<p> 


	3. Shorts Collection 2

**Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions. Any original characters mentioned however are mine.**

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><p><strong>Shore Leave<strong>

Up shook his head and grinned at Taz who was glaring at the wall, her cheeks bright red.

Earlier that night the squad had all met up by accident at the local bar. Up, ignoring the death glares Taz had given him, had insisted they all drink together to build camaraderie. It had been a ... interesting experience. Specs had turned out to be a very talkative drunk; she'd seemed to just loudly speak her stream of consciousness. Krayonder had been a captivated drunk; he'd quietly sat there and listened to Specs, with only the occasional "Whoa", that is until he fell off his chair trying to look at Specs ass when she'd stood up. When Up had left the two of them had been making out under a table. It turned out alcohol had no effect on Bug; he'd just sat next to Up and watched everyone else in what Up guessed was wonderment. You couldn't blame him too much; as February turned out to be a rowdy drunk, and when your girlfriend gets up on the main bar half-naked and starts dancing there's not much else you can do. He'd left February trying in vain to give Bug a hickey.

Taz was, as usual, hard to read. She was an unpredictable drunk, Up had learned many years ago, and was a good drinker so it was hard to tell when she was actually drunk. She'd sat at the bar quietly scowling at everyone, until February got onto the counter next to her then Taz had gaped open mouthed. He hadn't been able to tell until Mega-girl had said something, Up couldn't even remember what it was, and pissed off Taz. Up hadn't figured out exactly how smashed she was, swaying slightly and speaking more Spanish than usual was only an indicator that she was drunk not how bad it was, until after the incident. When they'd left, Mega-girl had been carrying Tootsie, a sleepy drunk, back to the ship.

Now Taz caught him grinning at her and she scowled directly at him.  
>"<em>Cállese a anciano<em>" she snapped, sobered somewhat by the pain, and let the doctor continue setting her broken hand.

**Opening Night**

The Young Woman looked at herself critically in the mirror, fixing her hair for tonight's performance. Careful not to mess up the gel she tied her headpiece round her forehead. She took a deep breath and wrapped her hand around the two sets of dog-tags at her neck, partially obscured by her fingers they read.  
><em>J ph on<br>__T ia Ar pez  
><em>She brought them to her mouth and kissed them. This was going to be the performance of her life. No-one would ever be able to perfectly replicate it, because no-one knew like she did. From backstage she heard her call. Giving herself one last check over in the mirror she nodded at herself and strode out of the dressing room. She walked to the wings, running over her lines in her head. She gave a quick nod to Ultra-beam who stood ready for her stage debut. The young woman cracked her knuckles and neck, before grabbing her prop and striding into position once the stage blacked out. She posed with her head down and legs apart, and took one last calming breath as she heard the familiar sound effect blaring. She cracked her neck one more time  
>'<em>Here goes no'ting'<em> she thought. She brought the image to her mind of her mother after she'd broken the vase and copied the facial expression as the stage hands slid the doors in front of her open. Evita looked up at the audience and stepped out letting pure instinct take over

"All right people, jou heard it. Dis is a rescue mishin. Get jour Zappers, set dem to pew."

**For Us**

She knelt directly across from him on their bed. Up tried carefully to catch Taz's eye but he couldn't. He didn't attempt to reach out to her. Her hands were balled into fists. He knew her well enough to know it was to stop them from shaking. No-matter what Taz said Up knew she was still terrified of robots. Free from their usual casing and latex covering, the parts of his robotically reconstructed right side clicked and whirred loudly in the silence. He sat cross legged and looked at his hands in his lap, the metal right hand unnatural against the flesh of his left. Heart thumping loudly in his chest his mind whirled with the worst. She would be too scared. She wouldn't be able too. She wouldn't even want to try. He heard Taz take a deep breath. He tensed ready for the worst. Instead he felt a trembling hand placed on the divide of his chin and his head being pulled up. He looked into her eyes and he saw the fear. But despite the fear, and her obviously shaking body, she had a look. He knew that look well. The words that they didn't need to speak hung in the air and Up smiled.

"_I will get past this. For us"_

**Therapeutic**

Though she didn't realise it, Up could tell that being around Bug was good for her. The enlarged Formicidae was so open and honest about everything that the Lieutenant, hardened to towards people due to betrayal and loss, couldn't help but like the little guy. He could tell that Bug was starting to bring back little parts of Taz that she'd forgotten, like her wonder.  
>When Taz had first come to Up everything was new to her. He'd watched her view everything in a fascinated awe, from the vast infinity of space too feeling grass between her toes for the first time, but time and hardships had jaded her and it brought Up great joy to see that look on her face again when she'd stopped briefly to take in her surroundings like Bug had insisted. She saw her eyes light up again when she was finally able to engage someone in both theoretical and practical discussion about how the world worked, from how semantics developed to why previous empires had fallen.<br>Slowly but surely the insect was, unknowingly, allowing Taz to soften and be her old self again.

For this, Up was eternally grateful.

**Words**

_Sadistic  
><em>_Heartless  
><em>_Bitch  
><em>_Monster  
><em>Taz had heard all these words; whether whispered behind her back or shouted at her in hallways, and for a time her stomach would be heavy and she'd believe them. Until the moments when she couldn't bring herself to yell at Krayonder, or spent her precious free time building Specs self-confidence and when she and Up caught each other's eyes...  
>Then all the hurtful words faded away.<p> 


	4. No Tears

**Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions. Any original characters mentioned however are mine.**

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><p>It was meant to be a standard mission. Attack the reconstruction plant and put it permanently out of commission. There wasn't meant to be people here. Lieutenant Commander Up frowned at the girl in the torn white dress. What was he meant to do with her?<br>"Commander" The ensign stood at attention next to him and saluted "Command base says to pack-up and bring back the least damaged robots for study."  
>"Did you mention the girl?" the ensign blanched at his words.<br>"Ah hah, no sir. I forgot" The Commander's shoulder's tensed.  
>"Ensign, have the Ranger's to carry out those orders."<br>"Yessir!"  
>"And Ensign."<br>"Yessir?"  
>"You better radio Command back, and may Dead God have mercy on your soul if you don't make it perfectly clear you fucked up". Up strode away, leaving the Ensign to shudder to himself.<p>

The girl was fiddling with the wiring of a Sentinel in an absent minded way, and talking to herself angrily in Spanish. Up took her wrist and started to drag her towards the ship.  
>"<em>Oye, oye! Qué hace usted<em>?" she shouted struggling against him. Up continued to ignore her shouts, questions, and struggles until he felt a set of teeth sink into the flesh of his hand; He let go with a shout and glared at the girl who'd fallen to the ground, and was now wiping her mouth. She matched his glare.  
>"What de hell are jou doing <em>asno<em>?" she shouted, standing up and crossing her arms, careful not to point her Zapper at her face.  
>"Taking you to the ship to prep you for evacuations missy." Up snapped back rubbing his hand. It was bleeding; he cursed at himself for forgetting to wear his gloves.<br>"_Creo que no_" the girl replied "I'm going home." Up was taken aback.  
>"Home?" He looked around at the rubble and destruction, no-one could possibly be living here.<br>"_Si, casa_, ho-me." she replied as she turned to walk away. Up grabbed her roughly by the upper arm causing her to shout.  
>"No way missy, it's not safe here. Now we're telling command about you and they're as sure as rain in winter, going to want to talk to you. So come along now, quietly, and I won't have to get rough." The girl lowered her head with a sniff and Up felt a guilty twinge. He wasn't a bad person, overall, and the idea of upsetting a girl didn't sit right with him.<br>"C'mon now girl, don't you go wasting your time cryin'." he said, loosening his grip and leaning in to pull her head up. Much to his surprise the girl pulled him close and before he knew it he was clutching at himself groaning while the girl ran off. Up took a deep breath and straightened up.  
>"Son of a bitch" he muttered and went after the girl.<p>

He lost her in the unfamiliar territory but eventually tracked her to a run-down two storey house a little over a mile away. The inside was a filthy wreck but allowed for tracks in the dust led to a basement door which'd been smashed off its hinges. There was an entire house in the basement. Room enough for several people, which apparently there had been, if the number of corpses littered throughout was any indication. He found the girl standing over an unrecognisable body. If he'd had to guess, he'd have said it was once a woman based off the style of dress, but other than that the body was an unidentifiable mess. He heard the girl take a deep breath next to him, he turned to look at her but she stared dry eyed at the wall ahead.  
>"Dere is no one left" she said, her voice flat. She turned to look at him.<br>"Give me ten minutes and I'll come. No biting or running away dis time, _si_?" she said and walked away, not giving him a chance to answer. Up counted down the time in his head as he checked the house over for robots. This level of the house was also trashed, though cleaner, but no robots were to be found until, right on ten minutes, he went looking for the girl. There was a robot lying in her doorway, neutralised with a direct shot through the central processor. He looked hard at the girl, thinking.

"Hurry up missy you've had your ten." he barked. She gave him the briefest of looks and continued to pack her bag. It wasn't a large bag, there'd only be enough room in it for essentials. She'd also used her allotted ten minutes to change from the dress into a more practical combination of t-shirt and pants. He looked around her room while he waited impatiently for her to finish; it was as clean and organised as a barracks. The girl snapped him out of his contemplation.  
>"<em>Bien<em>, what now _capitán_?" She asked swinging the bag onto her shoulders; Up gave her a dirty look.  
>"That's Lieutenant Commander to you, whelp." he snapped "And you can help me carry this robot back to the ships."<br>"_Para lo que_? It's useless." the girl asked, frowning at the robot  
>"Never you mind kid. Now help me carry this damn thing." he ordered grabbing the legs. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the girl roll her eyes at him, but she did as she was told.<p>

It was a difficult to manoeuvre the motionless robot out of the compact basement, and through the debris along the long trek back to the ships. Up lead the way, facing forwards in case of a sudden a robot attack.  
>"Oye, what is jour name?" Up jumped slightly at the sudden noise.<br>"Idiot girl," he snapped "be quiet. We're still in uncertain territory." He heard the girl huff and then there was nothing but the crunching sound of their footsteps. He gave in.  
>"Up" he practically grunted.<br>"Huh?" Up resisted the urge to roll his eyes.  
>"Up, my name's Up."<br>"Oh." Neither of them said another word the whole way back.

True to her word the girl didn't give them any more problems - she was quiet and obedient. Up watched her closely on the shuttle-ride back to base. She was very still and staring hard at the floor as though it had personally wronged her in some way. It baffled him that someone had been living in Robot territory let alone raising children, and quite a few it would seem if the size of the corpses had been any indication. When they landed she was the second to last person out, just before Up, and he watched her jaw drop. Up didn't understand why. It was only a fully operating Ranger base, complete with training grounds and a small fleet of shuttles. He nudged the back of her shoulder.  
>"C'mon, the Commodore will want to speak with you." Leading the way he took her through the base, occasionally having to hurry her along or, in the case of the open armoury, physically pull her away. He left her with the secretary while he went in to give his report. When he'd finished, as suspected, the Commodore wanted to know more.<p>

"So, I understand that there was an unknown inhabited human hideout in the area you attacked?"  
>"Yessir; however most had recently died in a robot attack sir. We recovered only one survivor sir."<br>"M'yes. May I speak to her Up, I presume you brought her?"  
>"Yessir." Up opened the door and jerked his head at the girl, who'd been sitting near the desk. She entered and stood before the Commodore. Up took note of her demeanour; posture, resolved, confident, and dry eyes looking directly into the Commodore's.<br>"So, Little girl" the commodore began. Up watched as she stood straighter, and her shoulder's tensed. "Could you tell me your name."  
>"Yessir" the girl replied sharply "<em>Me llamo Tazmaria Lopez<em>, but I'd prefer to be called Taz. And I am not a little girl." the Commodore shifted uncomfortably under her intense unwavering gaze. Up was impressed, and resisted the urge to smirk keeping his face blank.  
>"Ah right, so tell me, um Taz, how long have you been living in that area?"<br>"Around eleven years sir."  
>"Good. So you would be eleven or twelve then, yes?" If looks could kill there wouldn't have been enough of the Commodore left to smear on the wall.<br>"Actually, I have just turned fifteen today, _sir_."  
>"Ah, of course. So what exactly was the place you were living Taz?"<br>"It was a home for _niños_ who had lost dere _familias_."  
>"To Robots?"<br>"_Las más veces_."  
>"Huh?" Up saw her stop herself from rolling her eyes.<br>"More ofden dan not."  
>"Ah right. Thank you Taz. That will be all for now. Commander."<br>"Yessir."  
>"It's almost twenty-two thirty. Would you show the young lady to the refugee bunks?"<br>"Yessir."

He left the girl in the bunks alone; she was the first human they'd encountered since missions began. Up found himself lying awake that night just thinking about her. Her reactions, her behaviour, and most importantly, that look in her eyes. He continued as he walked back to the bunk to collect her for morning mess. Perhaps she was just what they were looking for. He opened the door, and seeing her still asleep in bed, pushed her onto the cold floor. After a brief shriek during her fall, Taz rattled off at him in angry Spanish.  
>"Up girl, it's time for mess" she glared at him, and Up hid his surprise. "You can wash up for breakfast at that sink over there." After mess he gave her strict instructions on where she could and couldn't go, then went to see the Commodore who was surprised to see him.<br>"Commander, what can I do for you?"  
>"Sir, I'd like to recommend Miss Lopez for the apprenticeship program Sir."<br>"Are you sure about this Commander? It's a very tough program, and the female mortality rate is unusually high, even for adult enrolments?"  
>Up thought for a moment. He remembered her insolence, her strong will and her resistance to authority. Then the girl's aptitude during battle, her ability to think logically in the face of loss, and the look of complete determination in her eyes.<br>The tear tracks on her face that morning.  
>"Yessir. I'm certain she's perfect for it."<p> 


	5. Shorts Collection 3

**Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions. Any original characters mentioned however are mine.**

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><p><strong>Vacation<strong>

Taz was glad, even if the other two weren't, that they'd been deployed on short notice. Sure she was angry as hell that there was a Robot attack so far into their territory. But it least it stopped the others bitching about missing summer vacation. Taz never liked being reminded that she was worlds apart from her friends.  
>Briefing had been, honestly, brief. A popular vacation spot had been hit, most likely due to the high concentration of humans. Taz had spat at the ground, <em>idiotas<em> leaving the cities during war? No wonder they were attacked. Now because of this Axton and Loris were pinned down inside a smashed in shop front by robot fire. Rolling her eyes, Taz started to fire at the Robots from cover behind an over turned car. Between herself and Loris, shooting through the front window, they managed to free them from fire. Taz was confused when Loris frantically gestured to come inside. Keeping aware for unexpected attacks, Taz made it into the shop. Her mouth dropped open when she saw why they hadn't come out.

There was an injured civilian. They were heavily burned from a flame thrower on one side of their face, one of their arms had been ripped clean off and their abdomen had been ripped open. But that wasn't what shocked her; no she'd seen far worse cases than this. It was the fact that the victim was from their school...

Taz didn't know his name, but recognised him from her English class. He'd be sitting in the group behind her that threw paper balls at her head and mocked the way she spoke. She'd also caught him mocking Axton and Loris for joining up and taking the war so seriously. He was one of those who believed they shouldn't be fighting and that the Robots just needed to be reasoned with. He deserved to die. But Taz nodded at Loris and, handing him her Zapper, knelt down beside Axton and helped him as best she could. Axton worked furiously with her assistance, Taz only leaving when Loris needed a second to stop Robots from entering the building, but they were fighting a losing battle. Finally the teen spoke to them through a mouthful of blood.  
>"Y-you can stop now." They all stared at him as he tried to sit up.<p>

"I know, I know" he stopped briefly to cough violently but waved off their help "I know there's nothing that can save me, I'm not stupid." Axton quickly covered Taz's mouth. The boy continued.  
>"I've been horrible towards you, and now I see why you," he looked at Taz "were always so angry when I said Robots could be reasoned with." he smiled bitterly "I tried and look where it got me." He looked at them hard.<br>"I know it means nothing now, but I want you to know I regret it and I'm sorry. But I also know you've been holding back on what you're meant to do since it's your job to save as many of us as possible" Loris and Axton looked guilty, Taz nodded. The boy let out a sigh and closed his eyes  
>"Then just do it." Axton exchanged glances with Loris.<p>

Taz pulled out her hand Zapper and shot the boy right through the brain.

**Aftermath**

Somehow, by the time they'd returned to school, _everyone_ knew that they'd been deployed to the attack. For the first time, Loris and Axton found that people were avoiding them. Taz could see the hurt in their eyes when they'd called out to one of their friends and he'd walked away quickly. Taz didn't know how that must've felt. But she was otherwise preoccupied. Because, despite being top level secure information, everyone knew she had shot the boy.  
>None of the stories matched, but they all ended the same.<br>Taz had killed a classmate.  
>She was met with complete silence, no-one looked at her and no-one spoke to her. For the first time in a school of over 1000 students Taz didn't have to push to get to her classes. They were all avoiding her completely.<br>Faced with complete silence and a sense of their fear Taz decided something.

She preferred when they'd jeered at her.

**Break**

"_Por el nombre del Dios muerto_! Why de hell di jou do dat! Jou asshole!" Taz threw another punch at her boyfriend of almost two years. They were standing behind the gym late after school and Taz was beyond enraged. He dodged another swipe at him and held his hands up.  
>"He was their classmate and friend babe, they had the right to-"<br>"NO! NO!" Taz screamed "Dat was top secret information! If I hadn't been dere myself dey would not even have told me!" he managed to dodge another swing, but was now backed up against the wall.  
>"Not only! Have jou finally isolated me from every odder <em>cara de dick<em> in this _infierno destinó_ school! But jou have possibly jeopardised de entire war!" Her fist finally made contact and he went sprawling. He looked up at her wide eyed.  
>"Babe I-"<br>"No Junior! Jou have gone too far dis time!" she kicked him in the stomach. "It's over Junior. We're over"

Junior Spaceclaw watched Taz's retreating back, and scowled.  
>That bitch would pay for this.<p> 


	6. Private

**Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions. Any original characters mentioned however are mine.**

**Author's note: On DeviantArt I was told it helped when I explained how each character wrote, so:**

This is how Taz writes.  
><em><strong>This is how Up writes.<strong>_  
><strong>This is how Loris writes.<br>**_This is how Junior writes._

* * *

><p>Krayonder grumbled. If he'd known switching rooms with Taz would mean he had to help her move her shit, he would've kept his old room. But Taz had already taken the heavy boxes out and she <em>was<em> the Lieutenant. He swore as something fell out of the box. Putting down the box he saw it was a notebook, now lying open on the floor. He was going to pick it up when he recognised the Lieutenant's neat scrawl.

xxxxx

Gone in a second  
>Couldn't possibly happen<br>Efficient killing

xxxxx

Krayonder frowned. What the hell? Curious he crouched over the notebook.

xxxxx

Idiot in a grey suit(?) What is that thing?  
>A scowl &amp; a scold<br>Trustworthy

Glistening bodies  
>Dirty, &amp; yet gleaming<br>Never noticed b TOO LONG!  
>Shining with wet beau STILL TOO LONG<p>

All their fault. Too hot to think.

Idiota has good taste in movies.

xxxxx

Krayonder picked up the book with a grin. It must be some kind of diary, though he couldn't figure out what most of it meant. Occasionally there was handwriting he didn't recognise, or the Commander's. He stood there and continued to read.

xxxxx

Going away soon  
>Both leaving behind something<br>But I can't look back

¡El idiota supo todo el tiempo y él no me dijo! ¡Burro!  
><em><strong>Quit your bitching. It didn't hurt you.<br>**_¡Qué demonios usted hijo de una perra! ¡Primero usted me dice que nada y ahora atraviesa mi material! ¡Le mataré en su anciano de sueño!

Flickering brightly  
>Kill the stars with their fake<br>Beauty in the night

Why are there so many in such a small space?

They can keep their distance  
>Say their words<br>Yo no tomo atención

Gunshots in the night  
>Hear them coming in my sleep<br>Wake up on the floor

Stupid, we don't even fire rounds anymore.

_**This is what you're focusing on? Less poetry. More studying.  
><strong>_Perra. Le terminaré!

It's easy to fight  
>But survive is what's hard<br>Outside of the field

Idiot but funny  
>Smart in his own way<br>May as well give him a try

Changed my mind. Malls are worse.

xxxxx

Then there was a blank page, but followed but might have one point been writing except it was either completely scribbled over or had bits ripped out. Krayonder frowned at the only surviving poem in the middle of the chaos.

xxxxx

Never give the chance  
>It will only cause nightmares<br>Always keep them out

xxxxx

Krayonder shrugged it off and kept reading. The poetry and notes were less frequent, occasionally having pages of space in between.

xxxxx

Dead for two years  
>Never forgive, Never forget<br>Got to pay them back

Heal & Destroy  
>Heal Destroy<br>Laughter

**here the wordz i sing  
><strong>**warz a horid thing  
><strong>**so i sing sing sing  
><strong>**dingalingaling**

¡USTED HIJO SIN VALOR DE UNA PUTA! STAY THE FUCK OUT OF MY BOOK LORIS! & STOP QUOTING THAT PINCHE POR EL DIOS MUERTO LARGO SHOW!

Old but young  
>Young but old<br>Is it right?

Blue-Brown  
>Pale-Tan<br>Light-Dark  
>Dark-Light<br>Mismatched?

Brown in White  
>Entangled<br>Silver fear  
>Silver fear<br>Move on  
>Content<p>

xxxxx

"Enjoying jour self?"  
>"Yeah dude. Man, you won't believe ... what ... she's..." Realisation slowly dawned and Krayonder turned to find Taz next to him, hand twitching over her knife. He backed away slowly and placed the book carefully on the bed.<br>"I was just. That's not to say. I didn't. I wasn't." Krayonder grabbed the box and ran full speed out of the room. Taz made to run after him but changed her mind. She could catch him later. She picked up the book.  
>Why the hell did she even keep this old thing? She flicked through it, alternating between smiles and scowls until finally she came to what was written on the last page. She smiled and pocketed the book.<p>

xxxxx

_~Love you babe~_

**I love you**

_**I love you**_

...

Te quiero también 3


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